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St. Joseph is located in western Michigan located at the mouth of the St. Joseph River. St. Joseph, which officially became a town in 1891, was once an important, bustling harbor; today, the town -- population 8,491, as of 2009 -- continues on this tradition, acting as a commercial port. Visitors to St. Joseph are often attracted to the town's cozy downtown area, as well as sailing and other outdoor activities on Lake Michigan.

Hotels Near St. Joseph

Visitors to St. Joseph have plenty of lodging options. Only one major hotel chain has a location in St. Joseph: the Holiday Inn Express & Suites on Lakeshore Drive. As for smaller, independently owned and operated hotels, travelers can check into the Silver Beach Hotel on Main Street, the St. Joseph Motel on Niles Avenue or Chestnut House Bed & Breakfast on Lakeshore Drive. Other smaller hotels in St. Joseph include the South Cliff Inn on Lakeshore Drive, the Boulevard Inn on Lake Boulevard and St. Joseph's Riverwatch Inn on West Main Street.

Local Restaurants

There are an abundance of restaurants in St. Joseph. Hungry travelers craving a casual dining experience would do well to check out local spots like Silver Beach Pizza Co., Broad Street Cafe, Tim's Too and Caffe Tosi. Barbecue lovers should visit Neon Grill, Pump House Grille and the St. Joe Boathouse. On hot days, locals and tourists alike often venture to the Dairy Korner on Lakeview Avenue. For those looking for international cuisine, Isabella's serves up Spanish cuisine; Hong Kong House offers affordable Chinese food and Papa Vino's makes authentic Italian dishes.

Entertainment and Shopping

Downtown St. Joseph offers many locally-owned shops, including Days of Yore Antiques, DK Boutique and Edgewater Gifts. Families with children will not want to miss the Curious Kids' Museum on Lake Boulevard: the museum has it all, from a climbing wall to fun, science-related activities to traveling exhibitions. Downtown St. Joseph also hosts two big festivals every year: the Venetian Festival and the Tri-State Regatta & Sailing Festival, both of which honor the city's waterfront.

Parks and Recreation

St. Joseph has 13 scenic public parks. Dickenson Park has baseball and softball fields. John and Dede Howard Family Recreation Trail offers stunning views of the city. Kiwanis Park hosts the John and Dede Howard Skate Park, which provides a space for rollerskating, rollerblading, skateboarding and BMX biking. Lions Park Beach offers barbecue pits, picnic tables and a playground. Other parks in St. Joseph include Lake Bluff Park, Lookout Park, Milton Park and Silver Park.

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About the Author

Ginger Yapp has been writing professionally since 2006, specializing in travel and film topics. Her work has appeared in such publications as "USA Today" and online at Hotels.com. Yapp also has experience writing and editing for a small California newspaper. She earned her B.A. in film and media studies and has worked as an ESL teacher at an international school.